The Goldsmith Awards Program, administered by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, aims “to foster a more insightful and spirited public debate about government, politics and the press, and to demonstrate the essential role of a free press in a thriving democracy.”

“The new Goldsmith Prize for Explanatory Reporting seeks to honor and inspire excellent reporting that illuminates the ‘how’ of governance in the United States – how public policy is implemented, how government systems and processes work, and what citizens can better understand about what government does. Winning work will pull back the curtain on the inner workings of government.” $15,000 prize. Open to U.S. news media and publications or individuals operating under journalistic standards and ethics. Newspapers, magazines, broadcast media, radio, podcasts, and online news organizations are eligible.